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Statesman Journal

Salem Greenways Trail: A proposed trail system for West Salem

Jeff McNamee explains some of the process of building trails at Spring Valley Park along the Willamette River. / Zach Urness / Statesman Journal

Salem Greenway Trail

What: The proposed trail would connect the greenways of the Willamette River with the vineyards of Eola Hills in West Salem.

In progress: The Salem Area Trail Alliance currently is building trails at Spring Valley Park north of West Salem. Around two of the four miles already have been completed and can be explored.

Get involved: To help build trails or get involved with the Salem Area Trail Alliance, see http://salemtrails.org.

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When Jeff McNamee looks at the forests, vineyards and greenways of West Salem, he sees nothing but potential.

The banks of the Willamette River are lush with riparian forest, local vineyards feature world-class wines and the people of Salem, in general, enjoy recreation.

All those ingredients need, McNamee believes, is connection.

The associate professor at Linfield College is hoping to link Salem’s assets together with a 70-mile multi-use recreational trail that combines the greenways of the Willamette River with Eola Hills wineries.

“We have wonderful resources in the Salem area that haven’t really been tapped into,” said McNamee, who lives in West Salem. “I talk to a lot of folks in the community who want a connected trail where you can walk and bike right out of Salem. I think we have the potential to do that.”

It’s a massive undertaking, which is one reason McNamee and the nonprofit he founded in 2010 — the Salem Area Trail Alliance, or SATA — is starting small.

The first phase of the project is building and improving trails at parks along the west banks of the Willamette River, from Wallace Marine north to Grand Island.

Progress already has been made. Four miles is currently being constructed by volunteer crews at Spring Valley State Park — about eight miles north of West Salem — and should be completed by the end of January.

“Any time you get new trails this close to the city, that’s an awesome thing,” said James Ellertson, a mountain biking enthusiast from Keizer and a member of SATA. “By getting the trails built now, we’re also demonstrating a good track record and helping build momentum for the ultimate goal. It shows we’re not just talking about a project — we’re doing it.”

The process does take time. At Spring Valley, for example, the authorization process took almost a year. It required route approval by the Willamette Mission Parks Management Unit along with multiple environmental impact statements.

“The good thing about Jeff is that he’s very realistic, which is important for a project like this,” said Ryan Sparks, park manager of the Willamette Mission Management Unit. “A lot of people get discouraged, but I think he understands this is long-term.”

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Greater challenges await. McNamee is focused on building trails on public land for the moment. But he’s also cultivating relationships with owners of vineyards and local farms, along with private landowners, in an effort to determine how to link the route together.

“When I started the process, I talked with some really experienced people who basically said, ‘Hopefully you’ve got 20 years to devote to this project.’ ” McNamee said. “And the truth is that I do have 20 years. That’s how something like this gets done.”

The overarching goal is to create a destination biking and hiking trail that draws people into Salem. McNamee said he could see farmers setting up produce stands along the trail and stops at vineyard tasting rooms.

“I envision my family and other families in the community being out here taking advantage of the area’s amazing recreational opportunities,” McNamee said. “I think we can build a world-class trail that attracts people not only from Oregon, but from all over the nation.”

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